Chapter 14

It was one of those simple-looking houses behind the bazaar and the bazaar was the place where tourists flocked to get trinkets to take back home. A few members of the Policia stood on guard in case there was some sort of disturbance but disturbances never occurred and their only occupation was running after pickpockets.

Nobody would have guessed that in the maze-like establishment of houses behind the bazaar lived Brazil's most wanted criminal. Nobody would have guessed that beneath the maze of houses was a well-worked maze of tunnels and rooms housing orphans that were trained to follow in the footsteps of Olho Roxo.

Yet in that simple-looking house, stood a girl in her twenties. Her face was tanned. She was thin but there was a look of strength around her. Maybe it was the straight way she stood or the way her fingers rested on a dagger on her waist. Her eyes were the weirdest thing about her. Dark, with no emotion. As if they weren't interested in seeing what was happening. As if they knew that where-ever they looked, they would see something that was better left unseen.

"You are here," Olho Roxo entered the room, supported by his stick.

The girl nodded wordlessly.

Roxo handed her a folder, "There is a photo of the couple you need to find. I have given you a map showing where they might be. You are to find them, do not kill them until I say so. I want details about everything. What they do, where they go, what they eat, people they talk to...get that?"

"Yes, sir," her voice had a hint of accent which definitely wasn't Portuguese.

"You will go in disguise?"

"Of course."

Roxo nodded. Out of all the people he had recruited, this girl had been a jewel. A master at disguise, she could speak most languages of the world. Her best quality was that she never looked the same. Nobody, however hard they looked, would see her again.

"Then go. I have put in the basic instructions though you'll have to work out the plan on your own," Roxo said. The girl made to move but Roxo whispered, "Remember you are useful but not irreplaceable."

A hint of fear showed in the girl's eyes before she said, "Of course" and went away.

Roxo went his basement where Eminem began to rap about his mother.

Spencer's day was going great. He had woken to the peaceful silence that could only mean that Tala and Ian were not around. He quickly showered and put on some clothes. He kneeled beside his bed and pulled out his biology kit. The kit was a khaki coloured box with huge straps and buckles. Inside it there were test tubes, spatula, plain sheets of paper, plastic sheets, rubber cylinders, needles and whatnots. The box was his prized possession. Today seemed like the perfect chance to use it.

Spencer stopped by at the Iimma Hotel's Restaurant to grab a quick breakfast. There were hardly any people there. After the toast, scrambled eggs, a few strange-looking yet tasty cakes and a glass of iced fruit juice, he made his way towards the forest.

The forest was a biologist's delight. There was so much to stop by and wonder at. So much to touch and collect. The mosquitoes were a nuisance but Spencer didn't even feel the bites. He was so enamoured by the beauty of the Amazonian jungle that time flew by. The rays of the Sun got tilted and yet Spencer was crawling, looking at insects. When he reached the river or a distributary of it, it took all his strength to not put his hand down and get a tubeful of water. Stories of the piranhas were repeatedly told at the site (with Mr. Granger providing horrible background sounds).

Spencer was still crouched beside a bush when he heard some voices at the distance. He tried to listen but could not make out the words. He shrugged. Time and again, after that, he heard several voices and shouts at the distance but Spencer paid no attention to them.

It was dark when he trudged back to the Cottage. He tried his door but found it locked. He shook his head. Ian and Tala must be out. He tried the other room and the door opened. Inside the atmosphere had a certain aura of worry to it. Everyone was sprawled on various chairs and sofas. Jennifer was sobbing while Bryan had an arm around her. Diana's hair was undone while she tapped furiously on her phone. Her cheeks were red and the look of worry was prominent on her face. Tala had a hand over his eyes. Ian's eyes were puffy and red. Giselle, who was there too, looked into the distance while a pen twirled impatiently between her fingers. They all looked dirty and wet.

Spencer's eye quickly noticed that Kai wasn't there. A cold dread filled him. What had happened?

He swallowed and moved quietly towards his friends. His was voice was dry when he spoke, "What…has happened?"

Everyone, including the usually calm Tala, jumped. Their eyes widened when they caught sight of Spencer. Tala was the first to get to Spencer. He caught hold of his shirt, "You idiot! Where have you been?" Tala raised a fist and would have brought it down on Spencer if Spencer didn't have excellent reflexes. Spencer caught his hand and pushed him away, "What's your problem?"

Tala laughed bitterly and told Diana, "Better tell Kai to stop looking for a dead body in the swamp."

"Dead body," Spencer asked wildly. "I don't understand-"

Giselle answered him, "You have been gone for hours and your friends have been hunting you since lunch when you didn't show up. First everybody thought you got lost in the forest and then we thought you fell victim to a piranha attack. We searched for hours everywhere. Kai has gone to look for you in the swamp with Mr. Granger. I see that you are safe and sound, though remarkably dirty, and our search and worry were useless."

"I-I am so sorry," Spencer muttered in a low voice as everything became clear to him.

"You should be, idiot," Ian shouted. "We were so worried."

Bryan spoke, "I thought you had some sense, Spence."

Jennifer laughed, "Stop it, everybody. Give him some space. Can't you see he's sorry?" She patted Spencer's arm and guided him to the sofa. "I'll make some tea for everybody."

Diana, who had Kai on the phone, cringed and put the phone away from her ear as Kai vented his anger through the phone. When the voice lowered she put it towards her ear and said, "Kai, calm down, okay? Just come home and tell everybody we are sorry for the inconvenience."

"Whatever," came the reply and the line went dead.

Spencer gave her an apologetic look before looking with a smile at his biology kit.

Diana gave him a chocolate bar and plopped down on the sofa. "So, Spencer, what did you do all day?"

Spencer looked around stealthily. Tala and Bryan were in the other room it seemed. Jennifer was tinkering in the kitchen. Ian was still trying to flirt with Giselle while Giselle looked like she was about to smile.

He opened his case and began to explain to Diana what he had collected when-

"Where is that idiot?" A very angry Kai, plastered from head to toe in wet dirt stood at the door.

Spencer stood up, "Kai, calm down. Seriously you guys take everything to the worst possible scenario and act on it. I can't help it if you guys are jittery."

Kai was going to tell him what a 'worst possible scenario' was when Diana said, "Umm, Kai why don't you go and get the dirt off you and I'll get you a coffee?"

Kai scowled but relented, "Okay."

Diana smiled at him.

"I'm exhausted. This Spencer-drama caused quite a hurdle in our plans. How are we supposed to check Penjames Chemicals tonight?" Tala whispered to Kai, at the dinner table.

"We'll do it tomorrow night. Definitely," Kai replied with a grim look in his eyes.

I'm ill :( Severe cold n headache and have been advised not to strain my eyes too much so forgive me if this chapter looks strange in terms of grammar, typos, etc. ;/

The Spin-off event is officially closed (unless you live in a really far-off time zone) but the deadline has been extended by two days since some people requested that.

Be sure to check out these two entries:

1) Matchmade? by Susan Styles. Can be found in her stories or 'My favourites'

2) My Serenity by SMRA. Can be found under 'My Stories' in the compilation called Matchmaking Spin-off Event

They are both awesome and lovely to read :)

Thanks for being so accepting, enthusiastic and supportive about the event. You all rock!

Thanks to by lovely reviewers: Susan Sewell, Superkami, Rangerapprentice, Pure White Mochi, ShortBusHero and SMRA! I will try to reply to your reviews asap. Right now I feel awful and :'( Thanks for appreciating and thumbing-up the last chapter where some major plotting happened.

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AND NOW...please tell me what you felt about this chapter and all its happenings. Any ideas? Guesses? Anything? REVIEW and let me know :)

I have a surprise planned for you guys. Will tell y'all next time :)

See ya!